The Victory Garden Thread - June, 2026

June 1, 2026 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The MONTHLY Victory Garden Thread is a gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.

This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.

It is impossible to hijack the Victory Garden Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to/removed from our New & Improved Ping List.

NOTE: This is a once a MONTH Ping List, but we DO post to the thread all throughout the month. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time.

[Liz]

Pan-Seared Salmon in Tuscan Cream Sauce
Ready in 20 minutes or less, easy recipe, superb sauce is a gourmet winner.

Ing 3 salmon fillets 2 tsp ol/oil 2 tbl butter 5 minced gar/cl 1 small yellow onion, diced 1/3 c veg broth 5 oz jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained 1 3/4 c h/cream 3/4 c baby spinach leaves 1/2 c Parm 1 tbl chp fresh parsley.

Method: Sear s/p salmon in heated oil on med-high 10 min; set aside. In same pan, cook melted butter/garlic fragrant (about a min). Add onions; stir fry translucent. Add sun-dried; cook 1-2 min to release flavors. Add broth, reduce slightly.

Final: Reduce heat to low, add/bring h/cream to gentle simmer stir 2-3 times. S/p sauce. Add baby spinach; wilt a bit then add Parm. Simmer a min to melt cheese. Add grilled salmon; sprinkle w/ parsley, spoon sauce over. Serve over steamed veg, w/ rice or pasta.

[Qiviut]

My cousin’s birthday is tomorrow (82!). She’s had a lot of health issues so every birthday is especially meaningful. Her family will do something special for her, but I will see her at church & felt I needed to do a little something myself. She’s already been sent a birthday card. I settled on baking her some chocolate chip cookies. I’m using Sally’s recipe - looks easy (I am not a cookie meister) & the cookies have over 6300 comments. Sally says:

“I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. This recipe is such a fan (and personal) favorite that I included it in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.”

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/

********

I find edibles for older folks in particular make good gifts rather than adding something that needs to be dusted or a plant that needs care. My dad was very hard to find gifts for because if he wanted something, he just bought it; however, he loved food so he got all sorts of treats, an Omaha Steaks box, smoked salmon, nut trays, etc. & he loved it.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Corn starch? Interesting.

I use the everyday Toll House recipe but add peanut butter, which keeps them soft for...as long as they last, LOL!

I had a Cashier who LOVED CC Cookies. She would buy me bags of the really good Ghiradelli chips and I would make up the dough for her. She could them scoop and bake as she wanted them.

After I moved away, she sent me three bags of chips, but they each melted into globs in the hot mailbox! I still made the cookies, after grating the now ‘bars’ of chocolate.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

After a goof-off day yesterday with my BFFs, today it's back to Reality. Lawn needs mowing, so there's that. Thomas and Kurt just stopped by to pick up three dogs to take to a Water Race, so those three will be having a fun day! Gets them in shape for Bear Season. Midnight and Grover will have the run of the place today, and the other dogs will be rotated through the Exercise Yard. Weather looks to be just about perfect for a mid-June day; breezy and sunny - hitting 74. Some rain Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, but not a total wipe-out. Beau called last night; they were staying at a Casino near the Canadian Border overnight, but should be in Canada with fishing poles in hand by now, if I know them.

Have a Great Weekend, Everyone! After mowing, Snoopy and I will be floating in the cattle tank to cool off!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Saturday Ping!

[SkyDancer]

Here, :D

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Let’s elevate this milkshake!

Maple Bacon Milkshake

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/246365/maple-bacon-milkshake/

[left that other site]

I’m hitting the road!🏍

Gorgeous Weather!

[Redleg Duke]

Greetings from southern New Hampshire! The weather has moderated…not so damned hot…and we are busy with garden work. I also just assembled 13 new frames for our horizontal hives and swarm traps. Our first swarm has become a thriving colony. The second is small. Trap is out for number 3.

I just finished removing the last of our original raised beds and the rotting wood is loaded for the transfer station as soon as I finish rehydrating. This afternoon, I will be digging in another Birdee Bed, relocating hive #3 in the apiary and transplanting cabbage and maybe sowing pole bean seeds.

[Redleg Duke]

Greetings from southern New Hampshire! The weather has moderated…not so damned hot…and we are busy with garden work. I also just assembled 13 new frames for our horizontal hives and swarm traps. Our first swarm has become a thriving colony. The second is small. Trap is out for number 3.

I just finished removing the last of our original raised beds and the rotting wood is loaded for the transfer station as soon as I finish rehydrating. This afternoon, I will be digging in another Birdee Bed, relocating hive #3 in the apiary and transplanting cabbage and maybe sowing pole bean seeds.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Productive! Thanks for the reminder on the pole beans - I’ve got some spots to fill in thanks to Mr. Chipmunk!

[MomwithHope]

Sounds awesome thanks. I think I have everything to make it too. Salmon in the freezer and I am all over anything with real cream.

[MomwithHope]

Funny! Like “life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

[Qiviut]

Fabulous day today ... the tourons are out in force! Lots of motorcycle groups out on the road & the trailheads have so many cars there is no parking left.

I made it to the bison farm for the first time this morning & got 10 pounds of ground bison. The store is very orderly & everything is well-marked. Next time I’ll get some of their specialty sausage or maybe some marrow bones.

Going to the store I passed a farmer’s market so I stopped on the way back & looked around. It’s always interesting to see what ideas people have for things to sell.

Home again & the new bushes need watering & I bought 2 Bonnie jalapeños (need planting) at Walmart for ‘insurance’ since my current 4 jalapeños have issues. Two have deer issues ... top half eaten, but I noticed new leaves so that’s a good sign. I don’t know if I saw the culprit last night, but a doe was at the fence looking at me (she could have been staring at the hostas before I pulled up). When she turned to leave, I got a quick glimpse of spots .... she has a fawn.

[Liz]

A great easy recipe that is full of flavor.

[mairdie]

I had it all plotted and planned. My front porch garden was so crowded that I worried about Amazon delivery people being willing to wend their way to the front door. So I moved some pots into the driveway where there's great sun. Morning after putting in two new yellow squash plants, they were both broken, so something crawled onto the huge pot. Now I have to figure out how to save that space as the critters pass by it every night for the peanuts I feed them.

[MomwithHope]

very very very nice everything looks so healty. Thanks for posting especially the pictures.

[mairdie]

You might find this interesting, Diana. I found this photograph of my 3rd great grandmother's gardener in the garden. It's from Canandaigua NY before 1890.

[Albion Wilde]

Greetings from the exurbs, gardeners! We have an HOA, so the picture titled “THIS”
wouldn't be allowed on the sidewalk-to-street strip, but I wish it were:

Because our grassy sidewalk strip is usually green with yellow spots: